The lower house of parliament will debate on marriage equality on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

The discussion will be lively as it will also consider a measure to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman in the constitution.

This marriage equality bill was introduced by a group of 46 deputies headed by MP Radka Maxová. Political parties ANO, Pirates, CSDD, KSČM, STAN, and TOP 09 have given their support to the proposed legislation.

“Despite the fact that the Czech Republic has recognized registered partnership since 2006, full equality for same-sex couples is still missing. This gap in legislation not only affects the couples but their families and relatives as well,” says Michaela Pixová, a spokesperson for the group.

She added: “This parliamentary debate is a real opportunity for the Czech Republic to become the first country in the post-communist block to break from its totalitarian legacy and give full recognition and equality to same-sex couples.”

The We Are Fair campaign to promote equality for same-sex couples showed that 67% of Czechs support marriage equality.

Transgender people in the United States are facing a significant threat as Trump could erase their existence.

The New York Times has found a memo from Trump’s administration asking government agencies to adopt an explicit and uniform definition of gender under Title IX as determined “biologically that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable.”

The memo reads: “Sex means a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth. The sex listed on a person’s birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person’s sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence.”

This memo comes from the Department of Health and Human Services but this also concerns the Departments of Education, Justice, and Labor.

This terrifying policy will impact the lives of 2 million transgender people and have huge consequences for them like:

less health protection and difficulty getting health care

more discrimination

fewer legal protections against injustice and violence

recognition difficulties (change of gender on identity documents)

difficulties for trans children and students to access locker rooms and bathrooms in schools

no more ban on gender discrimination in education programs that receive government financial help

...

The memo has been circulating since last spring but the debate began a year ago. So they should introduce the new definition of sex to the Department of Justice by the end of the year. If it says the change is legal, this new definition will be approved and enforced in Title IX statutes, and across government agencies.

“Transgender people are frightened,” said Sarah Warbelow, the legal director of the Human Rights Campaign. “At every step where the administration has had the choice, they’ve opted to turn their back on transgender people.”

Civil rights and LGBT rights groups are meeting with federal government officials across the United States to oppose the proposed definition.

Transgender people are mobilizing and asking their allies to mobilize with them through the Hashtag #WontBeErased.

Show your support to our trans friends. What happens to them could happen to us in the coming years too. And remember the importance, THE IMPORTANCE, of the November ballot.

]]>info@lezbelib.com (E-Li)News From The United-StatesSun, 28 Oct 2018 18:00:07 +0000New series "The Haunting of Hill House" features a lesbian characterhttps://www.lezbelib.com/tv-movies/new-series-the-haunting-of-hill-house-features-a-lesbian-character
https://www.lezbelib.com/tv-movies/new-series-the-haunting-of-hill-house-features-a-lesbian-character

Based on Shirley Jackson's novel, The Haunting of Hill House features one of the best lesbian characters.

Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the series follows the Crains. In 1992, Olivia and Hugh Crain bought Hill House to renovate and move in with their five children: Steven, Shirley, Theodora "Theo", and twins Luke and Eleanor "Nell". But after suffering paranormal damage and tragic losses, they left the house. Twenty-six years later, the father and his children meet after another tragedy. They now have to face their inner demons while mourning their losses.

Through flashbacks, we discover that one of the main characters, Theo (Kate Siegel), has clairvoyance skills that she developed during her childhood. Theo uses her power in her job as a child psychologist even though she tries to avoid physical contact with other people in everyday life.

Very quickly, we understand that Theo is lesbian. Her sexual orientation is neither a problem nor a secret.

Even if Theo has some problems with intimacy due to her power, she meets Trish in a bar and it becomes very intense.

Theo doesn't want a serious relationship but Trish becomes an exception to the rule. She's always here to comfort Theo as she knows her secret.

You can watch the trailer of The Haunting of Hill House below. You'll see, it's a very captivating series.

The Haunting of Hill House consists of 10 episodes now available on Netflix.

The Swiss National Council has banned homophobic and transphobic crimes.

Indeed, the National Council, the lower house of the Swiss legislature, approved the criminalization of homophobia and transphobia by a 118-60 vote.

Thus, now, if the bill becomes law, physical violence and verbal violence against LGBT people could be punished by heavy fines or up to three years in prison.

National Councilor Mathias Raynard, who introduced the motion, told Shorlist: “The Swiss Parliament’s decision is great news because it sends the powerful message that homophobia is not an opinion; as for racism, it’s a violation of the law.

“I tabled the motion after speaking to friends of mine who have personally been victims of verbal and physical homophobic violence.

“And working on this law I found out that the Swiss case-law doesn’t punish either hate speech or incitement to hatred towards LGBT+ people. During the last few years, this loophole in the law has been pointed out several times at an international level.”

The motion must now be adopted by the Council of States.

Switzerland could soon ban homophobic and transphobic crimes. What a fantastic news!

Romania was to hold a referendum on a possible amendment to the constitution to prevent same-sex couples from getting married. An anti-LGBT group wanted to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Romanians said "no".

And not only has this attempt failed, but the ruling party has introduced legislation that could legalize civil unions for same-sex couples.

“This draft bill is finalized and...my fellow lawmakers will submit it in parliament next week,” European Affairs Minister Victor Negrescu told the state news agency Agerpres.

Romania has been criticized by the European Commission. All members of the European Union must respect the rights of their citizens, and this includes LGBT citizens. Until now, Romania was very far from fulfilling the criteria.

LGBT organization ILGA-Europe had pointed out the lack of LGBT rights. Romania was ranked 25 out of 28 countries due to hate speech, discrimination against our community and lack of recognition of same-sex unions.

Previous attempts to legalize civil unions have all failed, they have never emerged from the parliamentary legal committees. This one could be the right one.

The Romanians weren't fooled and countered the anti-LGBT group's attempt at discrimination. They said "no" to the referendum against marriage equality. This is a great victory for the LGBT community in Romania.

]]>info@lezbelib.com (E-Li)News From EuropeTue, 23 Oct 2018 23:28:10 +0000One day left to take part in the consultation on the UK gender recognition acthttps://www.lezbelib.com/europe-news/a-few-days-left-to-take-part-in-the-consultation-on-the-uk-gender-recognition-act
https://www.lezbelib.com/europe-news/a-few-days-left-to-take-part-in-the-consultation-on-the-uk-gender-recognition-act

There is only one day left to take part in the consultation launched by the British government on the Gender Recognition Act.

Until October 19, 2018, at 11 pm, you can share your vision of gender identity and help to improve the rights of transgender people in the UK.

The 2004 Gender Recognition Act currently allows trans people to change their gender in a rather complicated, expensive and sometimes inaccessible legal process.

Here, the consultation will help to highlight gaps and understand how to improve the process.

LGBT organization Stonewall calls on the government to reform gender recognition law:

by requiring no medical diagnosis or presentation of evidence for trans people to get their identity legally recognized

by recognizing non-binary identities

by giving all trans people, including 16 – 17-year-olds, the right to self-determination, through a much simpler and more streamlined administrative process

Indeed, the current process requires people to pass a series of medical assessments and interviews with psychiatrists to get a formal diagnosis of ‘gender dysphoria’. They must have lived in their ‘acquired gender’ for two years and provide evidence.

All this must be submitted to a gender recognition panel that will agree or deny the request.

"Colette" is a biographical film about French author Colette, a pioneer of feminism. The film focuses on the period during which she discovers a passion for writing and for women.

We meet Sidonie Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley), a teenager who lives in a small village in Bourgogne, a region in central-eastern France. It was at this time that Colette met her husband Henry Gauthier-Villars aka Willy. Together, they then settle in Paris.

At that time, it was customary for some writers to use other people's talent. This is what Willy does. He publishes stories written by other authors under his own name and he has some success.

Very quickly, while he asks Colette to write his correspondence, he discovers that his wife has a talent for writing. Thus, he pushes Colette to write a novel about her youth. She discovers then a real passion for writing.

In the 19th century, women were not allowed to publish books. Colette is one of the few women to have done it without hiding her femininity under a male name and has surpassed many male writers. It turns out that her books, more than 80, have been successful.

What will interest us in the film are relationships Colette can have with other women. Quickly, she tells her husband that she is attracted to women and he encourages her to follow her fantasies.

She meets an American woman (Eleanor Tomlinson) with whom she will have a relationship. Unfortunately, her husband will ruin everything. He will also have a secret relationship with this woman. No worries, you won't be disappointed for a long time.

She will create a riot the day she kisses Mathilde de Morny aka Missy (Denise Gough), a freethinking noblewoman who dressed as a man, onstage at the Moulin Rouge.

The film focuses mainly on the relationship between Colette and her husband, on love, work, betrayal, but it also focuses on the emancipation of this woman. This is a very interesting part that is subtly discussed in the film.

Colette wants more and more freedom, which was far from being obvious for a woman at this time. The Colette-Willy couple won't resist this.

The Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) approved two bills that concern the LGBT community.

The first bill seeks to improve protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation by amending the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976.

“Right now in Michigan, people who are LGBT can be fired from their jobs or evicted for their housing with that reasoning in mind, and there’s nothing really stopping it,” Ben Horne, vice chairman of policy committee and the second sponsor of the bill, told The State. “In my view, MSU has done a great job in increasing their anti-discrimination policy to include gender identity and sexual orientation. ASMSU in the past has advocated for those very changes, so I think keeping that advocacy in line with our past actions sets a good precedent.”

Colin Wiebrecht, Alliance of Queer & Ally Students' representative and sponsor of the bill, added: “Currently, Elliot-Larsen does not include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. It has been shot down in the House the last couple of years. Any Republicans that have tried to advocate in favor of it have lost their subsequent primaries.”

The second bill would change the Food and Drug Administration’s policy that prevents men who have sex with men from donating blood.

The General Assembly will vote on these two bills in the week and, of course, we hope for a positive outcome.

Written and directed by Erin Good, Jade of Death follows a young woman named Jade who has a powerful ability as she can hear when and how people die. She ran away from her hometown and gets by working at a seedy freak show carnival as the “Fortune-Teller of Death”, but now people are after her. There’s more to her past than she lets on, and more to her abilities than she knows.

“She’s a character who has run away from her past and wants to run away from herself. Jade desperately wants to be a good person, but she thinks that’s she’s bad and so she’s always kind of punishing herself,” says Good.

Eau Claire became the third city in Wisconsin to pass a law banning conversion therapies, after Milwaukee and Madison.

Indeed, the City Council of Eau Claire unanimously approved a measure protecting LGBTQ youth from conversion therapies.

“In the face of anti-LGBTQ attacks from state and national politicians, cities and states are stepping up to move equality forward,” said HRC Wisconsin State Director Wendy Strout. “Conversion therapy is child abuse and we commend the Eau Claire City Council for putting the well-being and safety of our youth first. We remain committed to working with our partners nationwide to ensure that youth are protected from this junk science in every city in every state.”

The ordinance will come into effect in early November. It has a punishment of up to a $1,000 fine per case.